Crysis Warhead

While it might not have hit the heights of 2007 as a great year for gamers, 2008 certainly had its share of triumphs, with October and November in particular delivering a string of strong sequels and exciting new discoveries that left most of us without the time or money to play all of them. In the run from January to December we had a few surprises, a few damp squibs and the odd game that was over-hyped and over-rated, but the titles on this list have stood the test of time, and stick in our memories as the year's very best. We know some of these choices will be controversial and that some of you reading this won't agree - heck, some of the TR staff don't agree - but these are the games we'll be remembering and replaying as we push on forwards into 2009. In reverse order....

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10. Crysis Warhead

Whether you call it an expansion pack or semi-sequel, Warhead took everything good about Crysis and channelled it into a more intense and expertly orchestrated experience. What you lost in freedom to roam you gained in more focused levels that encouraged you to run amok with your nanosuit, and this time the gameplay didn't drop off as soon as the aliens appeared. Macho, atmospheric and every bit as gorgeous as its predecessor, Warhead didn't receive the hype of other titles, but was quietly the most consistently brilliant single-player FPS of the year.